Fiji: Low police recruitment highly likely to see expanded RFMF support role

Around 13 September, 149 Fiji Police Force (FPF) recruits began basic training, falling short of the 500 person recruitment target. A budget submission in May 2025 was approved to grow the FPF’s establishment by 1076 positions to a total of 6550.

Assessment: The increased force size is a key pillar of PM Rabuka and Commissioner Tudravu’s objective to improve community relations through more frontline staff. However, Commissioner Tudravu recently noted that the force size had decreased by 10% since 2022. The FPF has previously demonstrated the capacity to train intakes of 250 four times over one year, therefore the low recruitment numbers highly likely indicate poor recruitment processes. Due to lower than anticipated force numbers, it is highly likely that to meet the objectives of improved community relations and arresting increased drug crime, increased workloads will be put on current officers and the Government will expand its use of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces - who are already performing various support roles (see SPI #15, of 13-26 February 2025).

Sources: Praneeta Prakash, “521 Police Officers Exit Force in Three Years,” FBC News, May 20, 2025; Praneeta Prakash, “New Police Recruitment to Strengthen Force,” FBC News, July 16, 2025; Temalesi Vono, “149 New Recruits Begin Police Training at Fiji Police Academy,” Fiji Village, September 13, 2025; Fiji Police Force Annual Report, August 2019–July 2020 (Suva: Fiji Police Force, 2020).